Sussex v Middlesex is the only other Division One fixture scheduled for 6 April, but there are three games in the second tier.

Both of this summer's relegated sides will be among those in action.

Surrey, who will be hoping skipper Graeme Smith stays injury-free after missing most of the 2013 season after undergoing ankle surgery, are at home to Glamorgan at The Oval while Derbyshire make the short trip south to play Leicestershire at Grace Road.

Durham join the fray at Northampton a week later, with skipper Paul Collingwood beginning what may be his final season in county cricket before pursuing a career in coaching, and will follow that with home fixtures against Somerset and 2013 runners-up Yorkshire, starting on 20 April and 7 May.

2014 Key dates

23 March - MCC v Durham

6 April - start of County Championship

16 May - start of T20

26 July - start of One-Day Cup

23 August - T20 finals day

20 Sept - One-Day Cup final

23 Sept - start of final Championship games

With Lancashire back in Division One, next summer will see the first Roses clashes in the Championship since 2011.

Yorkshire will stage the fixture that begins on Sunday 25 May at Headingley, with the re-match taking place at Old Trafford from 31 August.

Both limited overs competitions have undergone format changes, with new sponsors and only two groups of nine teams, instead of three as in previous years.

The T20 Blast will spread out over a period of more than two months, with the final round of group games on Friday 25 July, with the quarter-finals taking place from 1-3 August.

Edgbaston will play host to finals day for the sixth time on Saturday 23 August, six days later than this summer.

Scotland, Unicorns and the Netherlands will not be involved in the One-Day Cup, their involvement in the county game having come to an end with the demise of the 40-over competition.

The final at Lord's will take place on 20 September and, as in 2013, will come before the final round of Championship fixtures in which Durham will travel to 2012 champions Warwickshire.